What is financial reporting?

Financial reporting is the process in which companies disclose financial results and related financial information to external audiences like investors, customers, and regulators, as well as to their internal managers and employees. Financial reports provide these audiences a snapshot of the financial status of the company and how it has performed during a specific set of time. Financial reporting in publicly-traded companies is an ongoing process, with the official public announcement of the financial results usually done in quarterly intervals during the year. However, industry analysts and other insiders are usually briefed more often during the year.

Why is it important that I learn about financial reporting?

It's important to learn about financial reporting to better comprehend how revenues in a business are balanced out against the costs of running the company. When you learn about financial reporting, you will get a strong understanding of a company’s assets and liabilities, what an income statement is, how to understand a profit and loss report, and how important a cash flow statement is on a company’s financial activities. Learning about financial reporting is an integral asset for anyone with an aptitude for numbers, mathematics, and financial accountability.

What are careers that use financial reporting?

Some of the careers associated with financial reporting include accountant, financial manager, financial analyst, senior tax accountant, and controller. Many of these positions exist in large organizations, especially publicly-traded companies, as there are financial positions in order to handle the work of strict financial reporting measures. To move into a career in financial reporting, it helps to have a background of knowledge in such areas as accounting, financial analysis, and financial management and reporting, along with more general knowledge of sales, project management, and data analytics.

How can taking online courses help me learn financial reporting?

When you take online courses to learn financial reporting, you will gain specific knowledge on topics like accounting analysis, financial statements, cash flow reporting, and profit and loss statements. You can become proficient in using the top financial statements common in organizations: balance sheet, income statement, and the statement of cash flows. As you learn more about financial reporting in online courses, your interests may widen to include other areas of financial accounting and financial reporting. Understanding these subjects is integral to your accounting experience in working on an accounting team at a professional organization.

What are the benefits of taking an online Financial Reporting course?

Online Financial Reporting courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Financial Reporting skills. Choose from a wide range of Financial Reporting courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Financial Reporting courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Financial Reporting, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Financial Reporting Courses - Learn Financial Reporting Online

Explore the Financial Reporting Course Catalog

Emory University
Finance for Non-Financial Managers
Skills you'll gain: Financial Statement Analysis, Financial Statements, Financial Analysis, Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Finance, Financial Modeling, Risk Management, Financial Management, Corporate Finance, Microsoft Excel, Accounting, Spreadsheet Software, General Finance, Cash Flows, Investments
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
437 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Geneva
Investment Management
Skills you'll gain: Portfolio Management, Wealth Management, Risk Management, Investment Management, Financial Market, Business Risk Management, Capital Markets, Risk Analysis, Asset Management, Performance Measurement, Investments, Market Dynamics, Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Financial Planning, Equities, Finance, Performance Analysis, Financial Policy, FinTech, Business Ethics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
7.6K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Rice University
Global Financial Markets and Instruments
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Investments, Securities (Finance), Financial Systems, Investment Management, Securities Trading, Capital Markets, Equities, Finance, Financial Services, Market Liquidity, Asset Management, Portfolio Management, Derivatives, Fixed Asset, Cash Flows
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
2.2K reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Pennsylvania
Financial Acumen for Non-Financial Managers
Skills you'll gain: Financial Reporting, Financial Statements, Income Statement, Financial Analysis, Risk Analysis, Cash Flows, Predictive Analytics, Profit and Loss (P&L) Management, Financial Forecasting, Balance Sheet, Business Metrics, Financial Management, Financial Planning, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Business Risk Management, Performance Analysis, Return On Investment
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
956 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Financial Planning for Young Adults
Skills you'll gain: Financial Planning, Investments, Budgeting, Risk Management, Goal Setting, Loans, Finance, Insurance, Credit Risk
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
1.4K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Columbia University
Introduction to Financial Engineering and Risk Management
Skills you'll gain: Financial Market, Securities (Finance), Derivatives, Financial Systems, Actuarial Science, Mathematical Modeling, Mathematics and Mathematical Modeling, Applied Mathematics, Financial Trading, Capital Markets, Financial Services, Securities Trading, Futures Exchange, Equities, Finance, Financial Modeling, Market Liquidity, Risk Modeling, Probability, Risk Management
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
283 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Banking and Financial Institutions
Skills you'll gain: Financial Systems, Banking, Risk Management, FinTech, Retail Banking, Financial Regulations, Financial Services, Commercial Banking, Operational Risk, Credit Risk, Payment Systems, Financial Market, Balance Sheet
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
247 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Sustainability Reporting: From Regulation to Implementation
Skills you'll gain: Environmental Social And Corporate Governance (ESG), Sustainability Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Business Reporting, Data Storytelling, Compliance Reporting, Data Visualization, Management Reporting, Environmental Regulations, Compliance Management, Financial Reporting, Annual Reports, Stakeholder Communications, Strategic Communication, Corporate Communications, Business Ethics, Regulatory Requirements, Stakeholder Engagement, Benchmarking, Report Writing
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
14 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Fundamentals of Accounting
Skills you'll gain: Management Accounting, Income Statement, Financial Statements, Performance Measurement, Balance Sheet, Organizational Strategy, Financial Statement Analysis, Capacity Management, Cost Accounting, Cost Control, Cash Flows, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting, Financial Analysis, Accounting, Budget Management, Business Metrics, Operational Analysis, Product Management, Business Strategy
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
2K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Status: New
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Generative AI & Governmental Financial Reporting
Skills you'll gain: Prompt Engineering, Scalability, Large Language Modeling, Governmental Accounting, Unstructured Data, Financial Data, Generative AI, Accounting, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Artificial Intelligence, Robotic Process Automation, Data Processing, Automation, Application Programming Interface (API), Decision Making, User Interface (UI)
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free
Coursera Instructor Network
Real Estate Financial Modeling
Skills you'll gain: Financial Modeling, Financial Forecasting, Real Estate, Forecasting, Cash Flow Forecasting, Commercial Real Estate, Risk Management, Property and Real Estate, Investment Management, Risk Analysis, Investments, Financial Analysis, Return On Investment
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
48 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Applying Data Analytics in Finance
Skills you'll gain: Time Series Analysis and Forecasting, Portfolio Management, Financial Forecasting, Financial Analysis, Analytics, Financial Trading, Financial Market, Performance Analysis, Statistical Analysis, Investment Management, Risk Management, Regression Analysis, Algorithms
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
217 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months